[IMC-US] Binghamton activists ask FCC to unplug corporate broadcasters

[bhuston at stny.rr.com]

Please CC this to national media-related listservs:

Several citizens based in Binghamton NY have filed a petition to deny
with the FCC over the licenses of 11 radio stations owned by Citadel
and ClearChannel.

Here is a news article (will expire in 6 days, so not wise to link to) 
http://pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060503/NEWS01/605030325/1006

Here is the press release, with links to the actual petitions (an interesting read!)

Thanks,
BH


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
---------------------
Citizens ask FCC to give corporate broadcasters the boot

Monday, May 1 2006

(Binghamton, NY) - Today, a group of citizens filed a an action with
the Federal Communications Commission which could ultimately change the
shape of the broadcast media landscape in Binghamton.

A group of activists, clergy, academics, and regular folk asked the
FCC to deny the license renewals for 11 radio stations locally owned by
Clear Channel Communications, and Citadel Broadcasting Company.

Rev. Kevin Bunger (priest), Karen Glauber (speech pathologist),
Eric Schwartz (media scholar and graduate student), Gabriel Harrison
(community radio producer), and Bill Huston (media activist and producer) 
today either joined the petition, or supplied supporting statements.

Their reasons are varied, citing the lack of local production,
the lack of news and public affairs, the lack of local music,
the use of automation, and the for-profit business model, which
pits the interests of the distant corporate stockholders against
the public service needs of the community of license, and which
even treats political speech as commercial speech! "[Broadcast 
automation] is like being stabbed in the ear with a Q-Tip", said 
Harrison.

"The FCC rarely denies a license", says Bill Huston, who organized
the effort, "but at least we may engage the FCC, the corporate
licensees, and the community in a dialog on the issues at stake,
and the issues are grave."  Huston continues, "Without exaggerating, 
our very democracy is at stake."

License renewal comes once every eight years, and the broadcast
licensees must prove to the FCC they are acting in the public
interest. 

"But as Edward R. Murrow once said, 'Sometimes there is a clash 
between the public interest and the corporate interest', 
says Huston. "We argue this is the case here."

The petitions and supporting documents are here:
http://binghamtonpmc.org/bhuston/petition_to_deny/
http://binghamtonpmc.org/bhuston/petition_to_deny/citadel
http://binghamtonpmc.org/bhuston/petition_to_deny/clearchannel

For more information, call 

Bill Huston 607-724-1755
Kevin Bunger 607-648-5209
Karen Glauber (prefers no media calls)
Eric Schwartz 607-797-6718 
Gabe Harrison 607-725-4025